Baird rides to raise money

Kelly Ann Baird (left) and a teammate get set to ride in a Pelotonia cycling event last year in Ohio.

Contributed photo

BY JASON QUEENThe Dispatch

Published: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 10:46 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 10:46 p.m.

Kelly Ann Baird made her mark in North Carolina as a high school swimmer at West Davidson.

In the middle of a productive swimming career at Ohio State, Baird is turning her athletic ability into an opportunity to help others. Just before the fall semester starts back in Columbus, the 2010 West graduate will make her third ride in the Pelotonia, a 180-mile bike ride that raises money for cancer research. She rode in the event after her freshmen and sophomore years, and so far has raised over $5,000.

Being a long, long way from home in her first year as a Buckeye, Baird jumped at the chance to get involved for a good cause. "My freshman year, there was a huge advertisement on the side of our basketball stadium," she recalled. "Me and my teammates were wondering what it was.

"So we looked into it. You sign up, and you have to choose how long you want to ride."

Naturally, Baird decided the farther the better. A distance swimmer at West who swims 500, 1,000 and 1,650 meter races for the Buckeyes, had options in the Pelotonia. "You could do 25 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles or 180 miles," she said. "And you had to raise so much money based on the distance you chose.

"So the past two years, I did 180 miles. Which means I had to raise $2,200 dollars each year. This year I'm doing 180 miles again, but I'm doing it as a student rider, so I only have to raise $950. But, I've raised over $5,000 (total)."

Anyone who knows anything about swimming, especially distance events, knows swimmers have to be in incredible shape to do what they do. The same can be said for cyclists who ride nearly 200 miles over the course of two days.

So, she found a way she could stay in shape, do something outside the pool, make new friends, and make a difference in people's lives. "I originally just wanted to do something in the summer, and didn't realize how important it was," she said. " Then I asked my parents about it, and they started telling me how many of my relatives had cancer.

"They told me how many had defeated it, and how important it was to really get into research. It's a great experience. I've met so many people who have battled cancer and survived, and they have incredible stories to tell."

Baird is majoring in zoology and, naturally, hopes to make her career near the water. She wants to enter the field of marine research after she graduates, so she hopes she is never a fish out of water.

For the two days of the ride, however, she will be a fish out of water. The riders will travel 102 miles to Kenyon College the first day, then 78 miles the second day, to finish back at Ohio State University. When asked how she trains for that distance, she simply chuckled. "I have a lot of friends that don't swim, and they bike for recreational purposes," she explained. "They do like 100 miles at a time.

"But me and a couple of my teammates do 20 miles at a time a couple times a week. We're training for swimming, so we don't really have time."

With everything she has experienced in her three years at Ohio State, she knows where she ranks Pelotonia. "This is the highlight of my year," she said. "I look forward to this every single year.

"It's so much fun. The people you meet, and the relationships you make through it, it's just incredible."

Anyone who is interested in donating on Baird's behalf for Pelotonia can go to her rider profile at https://www.mypelotonia.org/riders_profile.jsp?MemberID=134163&SearchStart=0&PAGING, or send a check payable to Pelotonia to Pelotonia, L-3454, Columbus, OH, 43260-3454. Baird's Rider ID is KB0057, and if paying by check, include her name on the memo line.

Jason Queen can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 220 or jason.queen@the-dispatch.com.

<p>Kelly Ann Baird made her mark in North Carolina as a high school swimmer at West Davidson.</p><p>In the middle of a productive swimming career at Ohio State, Baird is turning her athletic ability into an opportunity to help others. Just before the fall semester starts back in Columbus, the 2010 West graduate will make her third ride in the Pelotonia, a 180-mile bike ride that raises money for cancer research. She rode in the event after her freshmen and sophomore years, and so far has raised over $5,000.</p><p>Being a long, long way from home in her first year as a Buckeye, Baird jumped at the chance to get involved for a good cause. "My freshman year, there was a huge advertisement on the side of our basketball stadium," she recalled. "Me and my teammates were wondering what it was.</p><p>"So we looked into it. You sign up, and you have to choose how long you want to ride."</p><p>Naturally, Baird decided the farther the better. A distance swimmer at West who swims 500, 1,000 and 1,650 meter races for the Buckeyes, had options in the Pelotonia. "You could do 25 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles or 180 miles," she said. "And you had to raise so much money based on the distance you chose.</p><p>"So the past two years, I did 180 miles. Which means I had to raise $2,200 dollars each year. This year I'm doing 180 miles again, but I'm doing it as a student rider, so I only have to raise $950. But, I've raised over $5,000 (total)."</p><p>Anyone who knows anything about swimming, especially distance events, knows swimmers have to be in incredible shape to do what they do. The same can be said for cyclists who ride nearly 200 miles over the course of two days.</p><p>So, she found a way she could stay in shape, do something outside the pool, make new friends, and make a difference in people's lives. "I originally just wanted to do something in the summer, and didn't realize how important it was," she said. " Then I asked my parents about it, and they started telling me how many of my relatives had cancer.</p><p>"They told me how many had defeated it, and how important it was to really get into research. It's a great experience. I've met so many people who have battled cancer and survived, and they have incredible stories to tell."</p><p>Baird is majoring in zoology and, naturally, hopes to make her career near the water. She wants to enter the field of marine research after she graduates, so she hopes she is never a fish out of water. </p><p>For the two days of the ride, however, she will be a fish out of water. The riders will travel 102 miles to Kenyon College the first day, then 78 miles the second day, to finish back at Ohio State University. When asked how she trains for that distance, she simply chuckled. "I have a lot of friends that don't swim, and they bike for recreational purposes," she explained. "They do like 100 miles at a time.</p><p>"But me and a couple of my teammates do 20 miles at a time a couple times a week. We're training for swimming, so we don't really have time."</p><p>With everything she has experienced in her three years at Ohio State, she knows where she ranks Pelotonia. "This is the highlight of my year," she said. "I look forward to this every single year.</p><p>"It's so much fun. The people you meet, and the relationships you make through it, it's just incredible."</p><p>Anyone who is interested in donating on Baird's behalf for Pelotonia can go to her rider profile at https://www.mypelotonia.org/riders_profile.jsp?MemberID=134163&SearchStart=0&PAGING, or send a check payable to Pelotonia to Pelotonia, L-3454, Columbus, OH, 43260-3454. Baird's Rider ID is KB0057, and if paying by check, include her name on the memo line.</p><p>Jason Queen can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 220 or jason.queen@the-dispatch.com.</p>